Automatic riveting machine



Sept. l5, 1953 2,652,167

A. R. HAvi-:NER

AUTOMATIC RIVETING MACHINE Fil DGO, 29, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 15, 1953 A. R. HAVENER 2,652,167

AUTOMATIC RIVETING MACHINE:

Filed Dec. 29, 1949 5 sheets-shet 2 Sept, 15, 1953 A. R. HAvENr-:R 27,652,167

AUTOMATIC RIVETING MACHINE Filed Deo. 29, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 15, 1953 AUTOMATIC RIVETIN G MACHINE Arthur R. Havener, Wayland, Mass., .assignor to Judson L. Thomson Manufacturing Company, Waltham, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December A29, 1949, Serial No. 135,785

(Cl. 21S-2f) 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to machines for setting rivets and has for .one object yto .provide controls for the rivet Vsetting mechanism which will :cause automatic repeated setting 4operations at intervals of time adjustable in length so that the intervals may correspond to .the .time required by theoperator to condition the yparts for the setting operation, as, for exam-ple, to 4assemble Various parts which are to be joined together by each lrivet.

A further object is to .permit wide adjustment l of such intervals `without `in any way aifecting the normal .rate of `actuation `oi the setting `rnechanism itself, so that this latter` is done under the most favorable conditions.

A further object of the :invention is to provide means for preventing the vactuation of the setting mechanism when setting conditions are not proper, as, for example, when the work piece -or pieces are not in -proper position when the setting is due to take place.

Further objects and advantages will appear from a description of certain embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a side elevational View of an automatic riveting machine embodying the invention, a portion of the machine being broken away.

.Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevational viewof the upper portion of the machine.

Figure 4 is'a fragmentary rear elevational View of the setting actuating mechanism.

Figure 5 is Yan exploded perspective View of a work holding anvil @and several parts which Yare to be supported on the anvil and secured together during a riveting operation.

Figure 6 is a view partly in side elevation and partly broken away and in section showing the parts of Figure 5 secured together by the rivet.

Figure 7 is a wiring diagram of the mechanism of Figures 1 `to 4, inclusive.

Figures 8 and 9 are fragmentary elevations taken at right angles to each otherof a modified machine showing means for feeding certain parts to the setting anvils.

Figure 10 is a View partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section of the mechanism shown in Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 1l is a fragmentary wiring Adiagram to be substituted for a portion of .the diagram of Figure 7 for use in connection with the machine of IFigures 8 to 10,'inclusive.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, thereis illustrated ariveting machine comprising a stand I having a table 2 extending outwardly therefrom. Upon this table are supported rivet-setting anvils which are arranged to be presented successively into riveting position. For this purpose they are shown as arranged on a rotatable turret '3, the anvils being shown thereon at Above one station of this turret is arranged a rivet setting mechanism of any suitable description as shown at 5, and the turret carrying the rivets is arranged to be turned step rby step about its axis to present the various anvils with the work pieces carried thereby into cooperative relation with `the setting mechanism. The particular type of setting mechanism per se forms no part of the present invention. It may, however, be provided with an actuating mechanism comprising a motor Hi slt-connected to a drive shaft ll. 'I'his drive shaft i! is provided with a driving pinion i2 which meshes with a gear i3 journaled on a shaft it (see particularly Figure 4). The particular rivet setting mechanism herein shown Iis that shown in the Rhodes Patent No. 2,319,748, granted May 13, 1943. Gear i3 may be clutched to rotate this shaft It by a clutch of the Horton type which may be freed for clutching engagement by a dog I5 (see Figure 4) which vmay engage a lug I8 on a latch pin Il and retract this pin from a stop lug i8 on the gear i3. On release lof the member It, the gear 1.3 becomes clutched to drive the shaft it. The dog l5 is carried on a pivoted arm v2t which is connected through a second arm 2l to a solenoid-actuated rod 22,\the solenoid being shown at 23.

At 25 is shown a hopper for a supply of rivets and provided with an agitator of any suitable type driven through a belt 26 from a pulley 42l carried by the shaft it so that whenever the shaft It is rotated, as during a rivet-setting operation, the rivet agitator is turned.

The rivet setting mechanism as shown in the Rhodes patent hereinbefore mentioned is actuated by rotation ofthe shaft It through an actuating bar 30 carried by a crank arm 3l extending outwardly from a crank disk 32 carried `by one end of the shaft Iii. The turret anvil is rotated step by step to bring the anvils nsuccessively into riveting position by any suitable means, but as herein shown this is accomplished by reciprocation .of a piston 35 (see the diagram of Figure 7 in an air cylinder 36. Its piston rod 31' isrconnected through a link 38 to a bar 39 which is pivoted on the shaft 4D. This shaft 40 carries the toothed wheel 4I which is secured to and turns with the turret 3. At one end of the bar 39, a dog 42 is pivoted, this dog being normally spring pressed by a spring 43 into engagement between the teeth of the wheel 4|, and in the position shown in Figure 2, an inclined face portion 44 of this dog has impinged upon a flattened side portion of a pin 45 fixed to the table 2 which wedges the dog 44 into engagement with the Wheel 4| and locks the wheel and the turret against turning. In this position of the parts the opposite end portion 46 of the bar 39 is in engagement with a switch at 41 maintaining the switch closed in the stop position of the turret shown in the diagram of Figure 1.

The piston 35 of fluid pressure cylinder 36 is controlled by a solenoid valve at 360 having two controlling solenoids marked R and F in Figure '1. The R solenoid, which when energized positions the valve 360 to retract the piston 35, is arranged in series with the switch 41 and also in series with a switch 48, the latter being open in the position shown in Figure 7, but arranged to be closed by a cam projection t9 on a cam 50 fixed on the shaft I4. Just before this cam 50 reaches the stop position of the turret shown in Figures l and 7, the switch 48 is momentarily closed, the switch 41 having been previously closed. The primary 53 of the transformer 52 is energized from the lines 54 and 55 by the closing of a main switch 56. Whenever the switch 48 is closed, as toward the end of a rotation of the shaft I4 at which time a riveting action has been completed, a circuit is made through the actuating solenoid R from the half 5| of the transformer secondary through the lead 63, closed switch 48, lead 6|, valve solenoid R, lead 52, closed switch 41, leads 63 and 64, back to the mid-point of the transformer secondary. This causes the solenoid valve to make the fluid connections to retract the piston 35, turning the bar 39 in counterclockwise direction, the dog 44 being cammed out from between the teeth of the wheel 4| until the bar 39 strikes and closes a switch at 65. This motion of the bar 39 also permits the switch 41 to open. The closing of the switch at 65 closes a circuit from the other half 66 of the transformer secondary through lead 61, valve solenoid F, lead 68, switch 65 and leads 63 and 64, back to the mid-point of the transformer secondary. This energizes the solenoid F, the solenoid R having been de-energized on the opening of the switch 41, which causes the bar 39 to be turned in clockwise direction, the dog 44 engaging between teeth of the wheel 4| and returning the bar 39 to the position shown in Figures 2 and 7, stepping around the wheel 4|, and with it the turret, to bring the next anvil in line with the riveting mechanism while removing the anvil previously in riveting position therefrom and also to bring the next pin 13 into position to close the switch 12.

The parts are now in position for a succeeding riveting operation. The operator first closes the foot switch 10, which closes a circuit from the line 55 through lead 1|, a normally open switch 12 which was closed by a pin 13 on the turret 3 when the turret was brought into proper indexed position, lead 14, switch 10, lead 15, solenoid 16, lead 110, closed main switch 56 and back to the line 54. There is a pin 13 for each index position of the turret, these pins coming into operative position successively.

The solenoid 16 is a portion of a time delay mechanism and acts upon an armature plunger 11, raising the same at a rate controlled by the discharge of air from a dashpot 18 through an adjustable valve 19 until such time as the switch is closed. This closing of the switch 480 is eiiected through a spring connection 8| between the armature 11 of the solenoid 16 and the switch 80, the movement 0f which in closing direction is controlled by the dashpot. As soon as the switch 80 is closed, a circuit is established from the line 55 through the lead 82, a clutch solenoid 23, lead 84, switch 80 and leads 85 and 110 back to the main switch 56 and lead 54. Closing of the clutch, by energization of the solenoid 23, acts to actuate the rod 22 (Fig. 4) to connect the riveting mechanism to the drive shaft I2 for one revolution of the shaft I4 as driven by the motor |0 which is in continuous operation as long as the main switch 56 is closed. This provides for the riveting actuation. Toward the end Of a complete rotation of the shaft I4, as previously described, the switch 48 is closed by cam 49, which closing starts the turret feed actuation. The turret feed actuation, by pulling the lastacting pin 13 away from the switch 12, allows the switch 12 to open which interrupts the circuit to the solenoid 16. This re-sets the timer so that upon subsequent closing of the switch 12 the solenoid 1B is again energized, causing the next riveting action to take place automatically after the desired time delay provided the switch 10 remains closed by continued depression of the foot. Thus the riveting action is repeated after time delays of predetermined extent so long as the operator holds the foot switch 10 closed, and this delay in this actuation of the riveting mechanism is adjusted by setting of the valve 19 as desired in order to allow suicient time for the operator to place on another anvil, then out of riveting position, the part or parts in which it is desired to have the rivet set. For example, as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 5, each anvil may comprise a trough-shaped support having a rivet spindle 9| presented opposite to the rivet. This trough-shaped member 90 provides a guiding support for several parts intended to be riveted together as, for example, a plurality of light leaf springs 92 shown in Figure 5 provided at one end with a perforation 93 for engagement over the pin 9| and mating perforations 94 for engagement over a locating pin 95. Superposed on these springs 92 is a strip 95 having a hole 91 for engagement over the spindle 9| and also retained between the side walls of the trough 90. Superposed on the member 96 is a second strip member 98 arranged transverse to the strip 95 and having a hole 99 to thread over the spindle 9| and being retained in a guide groove |00 positioned transverse to the main groove in which the members 92 and 96 are placed. Likewise a coil spring |0| is placed over the spindle 9|, and the rivet |02 is presented to these parts with its lower tubular end |03 as shown extended through the other parts and riveted against a washer |04 beneath the spring elements 92.

It will be noted that where several parts are to be assembled on the anvil prior to the riveting actuation, suilicient time must be allowed,

through adjustment of the timer valve 19, forA the operator to assemble these various parts before the riveting actuation in order that the proper assembly may be made prior to each rivet setting. It is also important that the parts to be riveted be presented accurately into relation to the riveting mechanism, and for this reason the switch at 12 has been provided, as should for any reason the indexing motion of the turret be interrupted before its full stroke has been made, this switch 12 will fail to close and consequently the controlling circuit for actuating the riveting mechanism will not be completed as the switch 80 will not be closed.

In Figures 8 to 11 a modified construction is shown intended particularly for applying rivets to parts at least some of which are automatically fed to the setting anvils, the mechanism being so arranged that should an anvil fail to receive one of these automatically fed parts, the riveting mechanism will not function. Referring to these figures, the anvils III) are arranged on a turret which may be fed step by step so that the anvils are presented in succession into riveting position. At ||2 is shown a raceway extending down from a suitable hopper, this raceway supporting a series of elements ||3 in which it is desired to have rivets set, one such element ||3 being presented to each of the anvils H0. As shown in Figure 8, the raceway ||2 slopes downwardly in position for the usual retractable spindle |I4 of each anvil to enter a hole ||5 centrally through the element I i3, thus to pick these elements off from the lower end of the raceway and present them to the rivet setting mechanism when an anvil reaches setting position.

At a suitable point prior to setting position in the normal direction of feed, which is shown by the arrow a of Figure 10, means are provided by which should the particular anvil not have picked oif an element I I3, the next riveting action i will not take place. As shown, the means for detecting whether or not an element IIS has been properly picked off, comprises an electric eye mechanism which is substituted for the switch I2 and the pins 13 of the above described modication. A source of light at is arranged to project a beam across the path or" motion ol the anvils ||0 and the element I3 carried thereby to a light sensitive cell |2I. Where this light beam is cut-off by the presence of the element H3, the switch |22, which is normally open, is closed to allow current to pass therethrough, this switch being used in lieu of the switch lf2 in the diagram of Figure 7, but should there be no element ||3 in position, so that light falls upon the cell |2|, the switch |22 remains open so that the rivet actuating mechanism is held against operation. Thus should any interruption of the feed of elements H3 occur, the machine will automatically stop.

The operation of this form of the machine is similar to that of the machine shown in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, except that the electric eye mechanism and the switch |22 have been substituted for the switch 'I2 shown in Figure '7. After the main switch 56 has been closed by the operator, he closes the switch 1|] by depressing his foot and so holds it as long as he desires the automatic action of the machine to continue. This closes a circuit through the solenoid 76, the switch |22 being closed by the electric eye mechanism when the article following the one to be riveted is in position. After the desired time delay the switch 80 closes, closing the chuck and starting the shaft 4 rotating which performs the riveting action. When the switch 48 is closed at the end of this action, the solenoid R is energized, causing the indexing of the turret by the fluid pressure actuated mechanism. The turret feed opens the switch |22 by causing the article which previously interrupted the light beam of the electric eye mechanism to pass beyond its interrupting position and brings a successive article, if one is present, into interrupting position. If an article is present, the switch |22 is again closed which 6 energizes the timer solenoid 'I6 and, provided the switches 56 and 'i0 remain closed, the riveting action is repeated after the desired time delay. Should no article be present in the light beam, no riveting action will take place since the switch |22 will remain open and the machine will remain inoperative until an article is placed in the controlling position.

The riveted assembly may be removed from its anvil at the next station after the riveting operation, in either of the machines illustrated by any suitable means. but as shown. this is accomplished by a jet of compressed air from a nozzle |36 which delivers it into a chute |3|.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of this invention it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various further changes and modifications may be made without departing from its spirit or scope.

I claim:

1. In a riveting machine, rivet-driving mechanism, a plurality of anvils mounted for successive presentation to said mechanism, means for moving said anvils successively to presenting position, certain anvils not in presenting position being accessible for receiving parts to be riveted by said mechanism, means for actuating said driving mechanism, means controlled by said actuating means after a rivet driving action to activate said anvil-moving means to present the succeeding anvil into cooperative relation to said driving mechanism, an adjustable time delay mechanism, and means operatively connected to said anvil moving means and said driving mechanism, and controlled by said time delay mechanism, said time delay mechanism determining the time interval between the presentation of an anvil and the actuation of said driving mechanism to set parts carried by said presented anvil.

2. In a riveting machine, rivet-driving mechanism, a plurality of anvils mounted for successive presentation to said mechanism, means for moving said anvils successively to presenting position, certain anvils not in presenting position being accessible for receiving parts to be riveted by said driving mechanism, means for actuating said driving mechanism, means activated by said actuating means after a rivet-driving action to actuate said anvil-moving means to present the succeeding anvil into cooperative relation to said driving mechanism, an adjustable time delai mechanism, and means connected to said anvil moving means and said driving mechanism, and controlled by said delay mechanism, said time delay mechanism controlling the time interval between the presentation of an anvil and the actuation of said driving mechanism to set parts carried by said presented anvil, and means effective to permit subsequent actuation of said driving means only when a part to be riveted is in riveting relation to an anvil approaching the riveting position by actuation of said anvilmoving means.

3. In a riveting machine, rivet-driving mechanism, a plurality of anvils mounted for successive presentation to said mechanism, means for moving said anvils successively to presenting position, certain anvils not in presenting position being accessible for receiving parts to be riveted by said driving mechanism, means for actuating said driving mechanism, means actuated by said driving mechanism after each driving action to activate said anvil-moving means to present the succeeding anvil into cooperative relation to said driving mechanism, and means operatively connected thereto eiective to permit subsequent actuation of said driving means only when a part to be riveted is in riveting relation to an anvil approaching riveting position by actuation of said anvil-moving means.

4. In a riveting machine, rivet-driving mechanism, a plurality of anvils mounted for successive presentation to said mechanism, means for moving said anvils successively to presenting position, certain anvils not in presenting position being accessible for receiving parts to be riveted by said driving mechanism, electrically controlled means for actuating said driving mechanism for single rivet-driving actuation, means activated by said driving mechanism at the end of a riveting action to activate said anvil-moving means, and a time delay in the circuit of said electrically controlled means adjustable to determine the time elapsing between activation of said anvilmoving means and the next actuation of said driving mechanism.

5. In a riveting machine, rivet-driving mechanism, a plurality of anvils mounted for successive presentation to said mechanism, means for moving said anvils successively to presenting position, certain anvils not in presenting position being accessible for receiving parts to be riveted by said driving mechanism, electrically controlled means for actuating said driving mechanism for single rivet-driving actuation, means actuated by said driving mechanism at the end of each rivet-driving operation for ctivating said anvil-moving means, a time delay in the circuit of said controlled means adjustable to determine the time elapsing between actuations of said anvil-moving means and said driving mechanism, and a controlling switch in said circuit closed only when parts are positioned on one of said anvils in relation to be riveted by said mechanism.

6. In a riveting machine, rivet-driving mechf anism, a plurality of anvils mounted for suc-v cessive presentation to said mechanism, means for moving said anvils successively to presenting position, certain anvils not in presenting position being accessible for receiving parts to be riveted by said driving mechanism, electrically controlled means for actuating said driving mechanism for single rivet-driving actuation, means actuated by said driving mechanism at the end of each setting action to activate said anvil-moving means, and a switch in the controlling circuit for said electrically controlled means closed to permit actuation of said mechanism only when an anvil and a part to be riveted are in proper relative relation.

7. In a riveting machine, rivet-driving mechanism, a plurality of anvils mounted for successive presentation to said mechanism, means for moving said anvils successively to presenting position, certain anvils not in presenting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Havener Oct. 1, 1929 Number 

